Fallow deer

Distribution:The present European fallow deer population originates from Anatolia. They went extinct in Europe during the last Ice Age, and then they were re-introduced and spread. First they were re-introduced in game reserves, and the first mention of a population outside of these reserves was in the 18th century. Within the framework of the 1970s and 1980s' programme of re-introducing fallow deer they were reintroduced in 81 areas. Today due to the success of their reintroduction the only place we cannot find them is in homogenous mountain forests.

Habitat:Fallow deer are of southern origin, thus they prefer areas with few snowy days and shallow snow cover. Areas in Hungary with the best fallow deer population have a continental climate and sparse deciduous and varied canopy forests with thick undergrowth, which are divided by meadows and agricultural areas. There are excellent stocks in Gyulaj, Duna-Tisza köze (the area between the Rivers Danube and Tisza), Guth and Gyula, where several world famous trophies come from.

Stock:The first official statistic is from the end of the 19th century, according to which 713 specimens of the species were bagged in 1884. By the end of the 20th century this number doubled in the area of historical Hungary. The Second World War did not spare the stock of this species either. Only a couple of hundred specimens survived the devastation of the war. Experts estimated a mere 2,400-strong stock in the 1970. Owing to the fallow deer reintroduction programme, which was carried out over the next 20 years, by 1990 the number of fallow deer rose to 14,300 and to 20,600 by 2000. In 2010 the number of fallow deer was estimated at 30,043. 10,756 specimens were hunted, 8,884 of which were bagged in open areas, 2,465 of which were bucks.

Hunting:The most wonderful ways to hunt fallow bucks are hunting from carriages, stalking or stand hunting during the rutting season. A special hunting method is hunting from a horse-drawn sleigh in the winter landscape. During the rutting period there is a good chance of killing a fallow buck with beautiful palmate antlers.Apart from the methods described above, a deer drive is another way of hunting does in the company of other hunters.

The best places to hunt fallow deer are the worlds most famous Guth in East-Hungary